Chapter 7: The Bedroom Behind the Locked Door
The ranch was twenty-seven miles outside Boerne.
Detective Shaw refused to let us accompany the officers during the initial search.
We waited at the station while the afternoon sun moved slowly across the windows.
My mother sat beside me.
She hadn't spoken for almost an hour.
I wanted to comfort her.
I wanted to scream at her.
Mostly, I wanted to know whether my sister was alive.
At 4:17 p.m., Detective Shaw returned.
Her expression told us the news wasn't good.
"Did you find her?"" my mother asked.
"We found evidence that someone had been staying at the property.""
"Was it Sofia?""
"We don't know.""
My mother stood.
"Please don't do this. Just tell me.""
The detective placed a folder on the table.
"There's a locked room behind the main bedroom. It appears to have been used as a private living space.""
She opened the folder.
The first photograph showed a narrow hallway.
The second showed a white bedroom door.
The third showed a small bed with pink blankets.
My throat tightened.
"Was there blood?""
Detective Shaw nodded.
"On the pillow and near the bedside table. Preliminary testing suggests it belongs to a female.""
My mother sat down.
"Oh, God.""
"There's something else.""
The detective removed another photograph.
It showed a small wooden box.
Inside were several photographs, a child's bracelet, and a folded sheet of paper.
I recognized the pink ribbon from the earlier photograph.
My mother reached for the image.
"That's Sofia's.""
Detective Shaw nodded.
"Your aunt Rosa identified it.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Where is the paper?""
The detective turned to the next page.
It was a handwritten letter.
The handwriting was childish.
Dear Uncle Daniel,
I don't know why you won't let me see Lena.
You said she doesn't know I exist, but I know she does because I saw her picture.
I want to meet my sister.
Please don't make me stay here forever.
Love, Sofia.
I couldn't breathe.
My mother pressed the paper against her chest.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"She knew about me.""
I sat beside her.
"Of course she did.""
"She wanted to meet you.""
I looked at the letter again.
There was a date.
Three months earlier.
My sister had been living close enough to visit me.
She had been writing letters.
And someone had been keeping them from reaching me.
Detective Shaw continued.
"We also found medication, schoolbooks, and several identification documents under the name Sofia Brooks.""
"Daniel's daughter," I whispered.
"Yes.""
My mother looked up.
"Where is Daniel?""
"We're searching for him.""
"Can you arrest him?""
"Not yet. We have evidence suggesting unlawful confinement and possible identity fraud, but we need to establish exactly what happened.""
I clenched my fists.
"He's holding a child.""
"We understand.""
My phone rang.
Daniel's name appeared.
I stared at the screen.
My mother immediately shook her head.
"Don't answer.""
But Detective Shaw raised her hand.
"Put it on speaker. Don't say anything unless I instruct you.""
I answered.
"Hello?""
Daniel's familiar voice filled the room.
"Lena.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where are you?""
He chuckled softly.
"That's not how you greet your favorite uncle.""
"Where is Sofia?""
Silence.
Then a sigh.
"So your mother has finally told you.""
"Where is my sister?""
"She's safe.""
"Let me speak to her.""
"Not yet.""
I looked at Detective Shaw.
She motioned for me to continue.
"Why did you take her?""
Daniel's voice became colder.
"Because I was protecting her.""
"From what?""
"From your mother.""
My mother leaned toward the phone.
"Daniel, stop lying.""
He laughed.
"Elena. Still pretending you're the victim?""
"You took my baby.""
"I gave her a home.""
"You stole her from me!""
"And look how that turned out. She had a stable childhood. She had everything she needed.""
My hands trembled.
"She had a mother.""
Daniel didn't answer.
I continued.
"She had a sister.""
"She has a family.""
"Then why did she write that letter?""
Silence.
I heard a faint sound in the background.
A door closing.
Then a child's voice.
"Uncle Daniel?""
My heart stopped.
It was a little girl.
"Who's that?"" she asked.
Daniel moved away from the phone.
"Go back to your room, sweetheart.""
"I want my bracelet.""
"Later.""
I stood.
"Sofia?""
Daniel immediately returned.
"Don't.""
"Let me talk to her!""
"You have no idea what you're asking for.""
I pressed the phone closer.
"She's my sister.""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"And if you care about her, you'll stop looking.""
Then the call ended.
Detective Shaw immediately instructed officers to trace the number.
My mother stood.
"We have to find her.""
"We will," the detective said.
"Daniel knows we're coming.""
"Which is why we need to move carefully.""
I looked at the letter again.
Something had been written at the bottom, almost hidden beneath the fold.
I carefully opened the photograph on my phone.
The words were faint.
P.S. Uncle says my real father is dead, but I saw him yesterday.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Detective Shaw.
"Who is Sofia's father?""
My mother answered before the detective could.
"Thomas Bennett.""
"Is he alive?""
She shook her head.
"Marco told me he died before you were born.""
I looked at the letter.
"Then who did Sofia see yesterday?""
Detective Shaw examined the handwriting.
"Could be a misunderstanding.""
But my mother was already shaking her head.
"No.""
She picked up the paper.
"Thomas is alive.""
I stared at her.
"How do you know?""
"Because I received a letter from him three weeks before the accident.""
"Where is it?""
She closed her eyes.
"Marco burned it.""
The detective leaned forward.
"What did the letter say?""
My mother looked at me.
"That he had been trying to find his daughter.""
A knock sounded at the door.
An officer entered.
"Detective, we received information about Daniel Brooks.""
"Where?""
"At the airport.""
The detective stood.
"Which airport?""
"San Antonio International.""
"Has he boarded?""
The officer shook his head.
"No. But he's not traveling alone.""
He looked at me.
"He's with a little girl.""
My mother grabbed my hand.
"Sofia.""
Then the officer added something that made the entire room go silent.
"There's another adult with them.""
"Who?"" Detective Shaw asked.
May you like
The officer swallowed.
"Marco Alvarez.""
